


Home’s where the Heart is.

by Really_Lame_Fiction



Category: Rooster Teeth/Achievement Hunter RPF
Genre: AU, Lame and fluffy with an abrupt ending, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-06-09
Updated: 2015-06-09
Packaged: 2018-04-03 13:30:55
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,269
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4102744
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Really_Lame_Fiction/pseuds/Really_Lame_Fiction
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Summary: My parents kicked me out and you’re the only one to ask the obvious crying kid what’s wrong’ au.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Home’s where the Heart is.

The fight replayed over and over again in Ray’s mind. What else was there to think about really, as he sat on the side on the street? Maybe he should have been thinking about his next step, where he planned on sleeping that night for starters. He felt lost and alone, even as crowds of people passed him and his half-full suitcase. Somehow, the crowds made him feel even more isolated. Fresh tears stung his eyes, and he moved his glasses up his face to wipe them away before they had time to fall. It was no use however, as he ended up crying freely into his hands, feeling his dignity slip away.

The cold late afternoon air nipped at his skin, his thin jacket doing nothing to fight off the chill. He grabbed the material and pulled it closer to himself, his cries turning into quiet sniffling. If he had money he could leave New York and head to Jersey, where his friend Michael lived. But he didn’t have any money, or a job, or a plan for that matter. Ray didn’t have anything really, except for his suitcase full of cloths and a Nintendo DS. He hadn’t even been able to grab his Xbox, which hurt a surprising amount.

Unbeknownst to Ray, someone had noticed him. A man in his early twenties, on his way home from an audition. The wannabe actor had almost missed the boy in his haste to get home, exhausted from a long day. He had jolted to a halt; the person walking behind him cursing as he almost caused them to trip. Joel looked around, trying to figure out the situation. The boy was crying alone, looking lost with nothing but some thin cloths and a suitcase. Joel himself was in a long black winter coat, and still he felt the chill.

For whatever reason, Joel felt compelled to see what was wrong with the kid. Walking over to him, Joel crouched, making the boy jump. The startled boy looked at him in silent question, and Joel went red when he realised he had no idea what to say. “Ah- Hi.” He greeted lamely, Ray looking even more confused than he had originally. Smooth, Heyman, smooth. Joel sighed, sitting himself down beside Ray much to the kid’s awkwardness.

“Um, hey.” Ray greeted back, confusion replaced by embarrassment as he tried to sneakily wipe his face free of tears. His eyes however remained red and puffy. “Can I help you?” He continued to prompt the stranger, who was acting awfully odd. It made Ray nervous, feeling already vulnerable out on the city streets.

“I was just wondering what’s wrong?” Joel said, politely looking away from the boy as he cleared his face in embarrassment, pretending not to see the tears. Even if they were the reason he stopped in the first place. “You were looking kind of, well, lost. No offense.” Joel shrugged, feeling sheepish.

Ray furrowed his brow as he looked at the stranger oddly. He didn’t sound like he was from New York, probably having moved to the city. He dressed well, his coat and pants looking expensive, even his shoes. But his hair was a dark black mess, like it had been hit by its own person hurricane, and his face was covered in a light stubble. Definitely handsome.

“I’m fine.” Ray lied, chewing his bottom lip nervously. He wanted the stranger to leave him alone, so he could cry in peace. He didn’t know what the man wanted, but it probably wasn’t anything good. Ray’s trust in people was at a new low, and he really didn’t need anyone else hurting him.

Joel looked from the boy’s lips back out onto the street, stretching his legs out lazily, crossing them at the ankle. He sighed again, fidgeting with the gold ring on his finger absently. “Well that’s a lie.” He called the boy out, not in the mood to dance around the boy’s pride. His own bluntness made him frown, wondering why he was pushing the boy to tell the truth. He wasn’t even sure why he had sat down beside the boy to begin with. “Something’s obviously wrong. You know a problem shared is a problem halved, or some bullshit like that.” Joel grumbled. He really wasn’t the best person to cheer someone up, being such a grump himself.

Turning from the stranger, Ray pulled his legs to his chest, wrapping his arms around them for warmth. He continued to shiver, feeling no reason to lie after being called out on his first lame attempt. “I was kicked out of home.” Ray said, saying the truth out loud for the first time bringing on a fresh onslaught of tears.   

Joel’s eyes widened as the kid began to cry, feeling partially responsible. A wave of empathy and guilt washed over him at the kid’s truthful answer, not knowing what to do to help now he had his answer. He shuffled out of his long black coat, draping it over the boy’s back. “I’m sorry to hear that.” He replied, having to look away out of his own embarrassment. He felt like an idiot. He had walked over to the boy out of curiosity, now he had his answer and there was nothing he planned to do about it. It hadn’t been his business, and now all he felt was guilt.

Ray didn’t move as the coat was thrown over him, wanting to give it back but also relishing in the warmth it brought. So he stayed still, conflicted on whether to shrug it off or pull it closer. He looked at the man, who was now only in a crisp white dress shirt. With nothing to add to what the stranger had said, he simply made a low hum of acknowledgment.

A million different things crossed Joel’s mind in a short few seconds, some advice he could give, some ideas for what Ray could do. In the end, Joel blurted out the only thing he could think of clearly, regretting it almost instantly. “If you’d like you can crash at my place?” Joel could feel the heat from his cheeks, realising what he had said. He probably came off as a murderer. “I-uh-I know what it’s like living on the streets. It’s hard, you might as well sleep under a roof while you figure stuff out.” In truth Joel had only spent few nights on the streets while looking for a job, his friend Burnie letting him crash at his place for awhile as he got on his feet. Joel could never fully repay his friend, but maybe helping someone else out would balance his karma.

Ray’s eyes widened in hope at the man’s offer, but he shifted a moment after, looking weary. “I don’t know.” He drawled, looking at the stranger. He didn’t look like a murderer or a creep, but the offer was too good to be true. “You don’t even know my name.”

Joel shrugged his shoulders. “I’m Joel. I’m 24, and work nightshifts at a bar while I try to get my acting career started. I was technically homeless myself for a year.” Joel held out his hand as peace offering. “Besides, you don’t really look very threatening. You can crash on my couch for a few nights, I really don’t mind.” Joel spoke truthfully, hating the idea of leaving some kid on the streets of New York. Joel had been lucky enough to be homeless in a warmer part of the country, not to mention safer.

Ray thought about the man’s offer, staring down at the large hand presented to him.  Tentatively, Ray took it, giving it a firm shake. Ray almost didn’t let go, the man’s hand much warmer than his own. “I’m Ray.” He introduced, “I’m 18. I don’t really do....anything.” He felt tears prickle his eyes again, feeling like a failure even in the eyes of the stranger.

“Don’t worry about it. You take all the time you need to sort things out, alright?” Joel stood, reaching his hand down to grab Ray’s, lifting the small teen to his feet. The boy grabbed the coat around his shoulders, shivering as he lost the warm bubble he had created from being still so long. Joel grabbed the boy’s suitcase for him, even as Ray protested.

The walk to Joel’s apartment was short and quiet, the boy looking just as upset as he had sitting on the street. Although at least he wasn’t crying. Joel didn’t know what to fill the silence with, so he said nothing all the way to his door. He sat the suitcase against the wall as he fished for his key’s, turning to Ray as he realised they were in his coat pocket. “Ah, my keys.” He pointed to the pocket, not wanting to invade Ray’s personal space.

Ray snapped out of his daze at Joel’s words, scrambling for the pocket awkwardly as he got the key, handing it to Joel. “Sorry.” He apologized, although he didn’t know what for.

“Don’t be sorry.” Joel said as he turned to his door, throwing it open. He wasn’t going to let Ray be guilty while he stayed at Joel’s place. Joel had offered, and knew what that meant. Wheeling in the suitcase, Joel left it by the door as Ray stepped into his small apartment. It was simple, one bedroom, a separate bathroom, small kitchen by the door, and an equally small living room. It was tiny, but big enough for two people. “Well, this is my place.” Joel said, motioning to the tidy apartment.

Ray looked around, cheeks red. He felt like he was imposing, like he didn’t belong in Joel’s tidy, organized life. To Ray’s surprise, he felt something rub up against his leg. Looking down, Ray found a small cat, which looked back up at him. It meowed once, rubbing up against Ray once more. The boy dropped, giving the animal a small pat as a smile crawled on his face for the first time that day.

“That’s Sheila.” Joel said, walking to his kitchen as he reached down into a low cupboard looking for the animal’s food.

Ray’s smile dropped slightly as he remembered where he was and why, but still it lingered as he enjoyed the presence of the small feline. It soon left his side, running to her owner as Joel put food in her bowl. “Ironically she was a stray I found on my way home from work one morning.” Joel said, smiling lightly at Ray. The boy blushed. “Now, I have food in my fridge, and the living room is yours. Feel free to do whatever, but I need to catch some sleep. I have work later tonight.” Joel explained, moving to do little things around his apartment. “I’ll get you some blankets and stuff for the couch before I leave. Is that alright?”

Ray nodded awkwardly, feeling guilty that he was glad Joel would be out for the night. He found it uncomfortable being in the same room as the stranger, and the time alone would be nice. Joel gave him one last smile before he disappeared into his bedroom, the man leaving the door open just a crack. “Make yourself at home!” Ray heard him call before it went silent.

The apartment was nice, Ray concluded. He walked around slowly, driven by the rumble in his stomach to peek inside Joel’s fridge. There was a lot of food, but none of it seemed quick and easy to make. So instead, Ray snatched an apple from the fruit bowl to munch on. He gave Sheila another pat as he went to sit in the living room, the cat following after him eager for more attention. To Ray’s immense surprise, Joel had an Xbox. Well, the boy thought quickly afterwards, it wasn’t a huge surprise considering it was a popular piece of technology. But still Ray had not been expecting it. Ray browsed the games Joel had, deciding the man had good taste, but decided against playing anything. He still felt a little uncomfortable in someone else’s home, so instead he finished his apple, chuckled out the core, and laid himself on the couch.

He was exhausted apparently, sinking into the comfortable piece of furniture with a sigh. Sheila jumped up to sit on his chest, Ray chuckling at the affectionate animal. Without even realising it, he fell quickly asleep. Hours passed as he slept soundly, the cat following his lead as it snored softly on its warm living pillow.

Joel was the first to wake, stretching his arms lazily over his head. He looked at his alarm clock, content he had gotten enough sleep for his late shift. Pulling himself out of bed, Joel quickly dressed in a white button down, black slacks, and a black tie. Almost the same outfit he had been wearing early, except for the additional tie. He combed a hand lazily through his messy hair, leaving it for the most part as he strolled out of his room. The boy sleeping on his couch confused him for at first, but he relaxed when he remembered the events from earlier.

Turning on the coffee maker, Joel let out a low yawn. Sheila stirred from her sleep at the sound of Joel, the cat in turn waking Ray up. The boy shot up, looking obviously startled as he turned to Joel. The man raised a brow, watching Ray’s face slowly change as he remembered what had happened and where he was. “Oh. Um-Morning?” Ray said sheepishly.

Joel snorted, a light chuckle falling from his lips. “If 9PM is morning from where you’re from, then sure.” Joel turned to his coffee, which sounded at him, signalling it was ready. He poured out a cup, asking Ray over his shoulder if he’d like one too. The boy accepted the drink, standing slowly to go sit at the bench in Joel’s kitchen. Joel slid Ray the drink, the boy wordless taking a sip. He tried not to make the way he scrunched his face in disgust too obvious, but Joel caught the expression. “Too bitter?” He asked, sipping at his own coffee.

“I’ve had conversations with people getting divorced that were less bitter than that one sip of coffee.” Ray said sarcastically, meaning no harm, but he cringed when he realised that he was being rude.

Ray’s worries however dissolved at Joel’s laughter, the man taking the cup of coffee and adding some sugar to it, giving it a quick stir before handing it back. “Fair enough. I guess I like my coffee so bitter to balance out how unbelievably sweet I am.” 

It was Ray’s turn to snort, letting out a few chuckles of his own. At least the man he was staying with had a sense of humour, that knowledge putting Ray just a little more at ease. They drank their coffee in a much more comfortable silence, Ray thinking about the fact Joel had to go out. Truthfully, he realised he didn’t want to be alone. He’d like to get to know the man he was staying with, and that sounded much more pleasant than sitting by himself, with nothing but his thoughts.

Joel seemed to catch onto the boy’s train of thought, the man surprisingly perceptive. “You know it’s a Wednesday night, the bar will be slow. I’ll be surprised to get more than a handful of people, if you’d like you can come along?” He offered. He felt bad for leaving the boy alone in his apartment, thinking he might like the invitation to tag along. Ray wasn’t 21, but Joel wouldn’t have to serve him drinks. He was on shift with just Adam anyway, which meant the boy could probably even sit behind the counter.

Ray opened his mouth to accept the offer, but the words died in his throat. He’d hate to be a burden, especially considering Joel was already doing so much for him. “I wouldn’t want to get in the way, besides I’m not even 21.” He averted his gaze away from Joel, staring intently at his coffee. He shifted in his seat, feeling Joel’s eyes still on him.

“Don’t be ridiculous.” Joel said easily, shaking his head as he downed the rest of his drink in one last long swig. He licked his lips clean of the liquid before he continued, “Of course you can stay here if you’d prefer, I just figured I could use the time to get to know you.” If he was going to have this kid staying at his place, there was no harm learning more about him. It would be a good ice-breaker taking him to the bar.

Feeling convinced that Joel wasn’t asking him out of pity, Ray nodded slowly. “Yeah ok, I’ll go.”

Joel smiled, “Great. Wait here, I’ll go see if I have something warmer for you to throw on.” He said, walking away from the kitchen and into his room, even as Ray called to him that it was fine. Coming back with a purple hoodie and grey beanie, Joel threw the articles of clothing at the boy.

Slipping on the jacket, Ray cringed at how much bigger it was on. The sleeves went well past his hands, and it was long enough to cover his ass. He didn’t reject it however, silently thankful for something warm. The beanie was also a little too big, but it wasn’t nearly as obvious as the hoodie. “Thanks.” He said, voice small.

Slipping on his own coat, Joel smirked at Ray, a chuckle falling from his lips. “No problem. It’s ah, it’s a little big.” He said, dissolving into small snickers. Ray went bright red, turning away from Joel as he buried his hands in the pockets of the jacket. He bit his tongue, holding back any snarky comment that tried to weasel its way out. 

“It’s not my fault you’re a giant.” He replied lamely, the words seeming to further Joel’s amusement.

“I guess it’s not.” He said, leading the boy out of the house and locking the door behind them.

Walking out of the apartment complex, Ray realised they’d be walking as Joel began strolling down the mostly empty street. “You don’t drive?” He asked curiously, not finding it all that odd. A lot of people living in New York chose not to drive due to traffic.

“Expensive and unnecessary.” Joel answered, “I would if I didn’t live here. Always wanted a nice car.” Joel had never actually owned a car of his own, he had his license but he had never had the money, now he did it would just be another needless cost. “You have your license?”

Ray shook his head, eyes cast down at the pavement. “Nah, not my thing.” He drawled, shrugging his shoulders.

Joel made a low hum, smile soft. “Really? That’s all I cared about when I was your age. Great for picking up girls.” He said, voice fond as he remembered having a long conversation with his friend Geoff, the teen at the time insisting they needed a car to pick up girls. Joel was far less interested in the girls as he was in the car, although he never mentioned that to Geoff. The guy was so excited about the idea; Joel hadn’t wanted to ruin it for him.

Ray shrugged, face going red although Joel couldn’t see it. He didn’t say anything, keeping his mouth shut tight. He couldn’t tell Joel the truth that he wasn’t interested in girls either, in fear of how the man would react. Instead he made a small noise of acknowledgement, letting the conversation drop. Joel had noticed how the boy went suddenly rigid, but chose to not mention it, wondering what he had said to upset him.

 Soon they arrived at the bar, the rest of their walk having gone by in silence. There was a handful of people scattered around the establishment, but most looked ready to head home any minute. Joel passed them by without a second glance, but Ray looked visibly nervous to be around the drunkards.

“Adam.” Joel greeted the man currently behind the bar, a large bearded man that made Ray blanch. He was just as tall as Joel, but of a much sturdier build, with a dark auburn beard and a notable nose ring. It made Ray think of a bull, a large intimidating bull.

“Joel.” The man greeted back, the frown on the bearded man’s face melting away to be replaced with a grin. Something about the change in expression made the man look far less scary, Ray peeking out from behind Joel, where he had unconsciously hid. “Who’s this?” Adam motioned to Ray, the boy jumping at the attention.

“This is Ray, he’s staying at my place while he figures some stuff out.” Joel replied, the answer mostly true. He left out some small details, not wanting to embarrass the boy. Adam caught onto the tactful wording, giving a short nod.

“Well any friend of Joel’s is a friend of mine, nice to meet you Ray.” Adam held out his hand, Ray taking it hesitantly. Adam was still looming in appearance, but he seemed kind, his handshake much gentler than Ray had anticipated.

Scooting onto a barstool, Ray sat with his hands folded in his lap. “Nice to meet you too.” He replied, cursing the meekness in his voice. It was an overwhelming situation for Ray, going from homelessness to moving in with a total stranger, to meeting the stranger’s friend, all in one day. If anything he was handling it all surprisingly well, something that bothered him. The emotional strain was going to collapse in on itself eventually, he was sure. But one step at a time was how he was going to deal with the situation, and so far that tactic seemed to be working for him.

The teen watched as Joel got himself ready, tying a black apron around his waist. Again, there weren’t a lot of people in the bar, and no one was ordering drinks. It seemed the night shift was just watching an empty shop; something Ray thought would be unbearably boring. Joel leaned on the counter across from him, already looking bored. “It’s like this all night.” He explained, answering Ray’s unasked question. “It’s not all that bad, if I’m shifted with Adam at least. We usually put on the TV to something we both like, we even bring in one of our Xbox’s sometimes.” Ray perked up at Joel’s story, interested in anything that involved video games.

“Oh yeah? What do you play?” Ray asked, trying not to look too eager.

Joel’s smile dropped as he shivered comically, looking unamused at whatever he was thinking about. “Well it gets dark in the bar, so we play horror games to creep each other out.” Ray heard a short laugh from Adam, Joel turning to the man with a pointed glare. “Neither of us are very good.” 

Over the course of the night, Ray found himself smiling at the two men he was with. All Adam and Joel seemed to do was bicker, the arguments always proving to be amusing to hear. They never asked Ray any uncomfortable questions, Ray only talking about things he was happy to talk about, like his Xbox gamer score, his friend Michael, and other pleasant topics. At one point they even paused to play a game of darts, which Ray was horrible at. Joel was no better, and Adam won easily. The night was full of good natured teasing, and Ray was thankful for the good company. At one point he had worried after making a snarky comment at something Joel had done, but Adam had laughed loudly, ruffling his hair as he told the teen ‘you’re alright, kid.’. Joel spluttered for a good defence, but had looked just as amused.

Soon dawn peeked over the horizon, much to Ray’s surprise. Adam was the first to leave, giving a wave to both Joel and Ray before he disappeared. The bar wasn’t open early mornings, so it was up to Joel to lock up. Ray helped where he could, but for the most part sat and waited awkwardly for Joel to finish. Once he was done, the two faced the morning chill together.

“That was fun.” Ray said honestly, the hours spent with Joel making him far more comfortable with the man he no longer considered a stranger. He still felt odd about staying at his apartment, but at least the worst of the awkwardness was out of the way.

Joel’s smile was small, a barely there kind of expression. “Yeah it was. Some nights can drag on forever.” The two stopped at a small cafe on their way back to Joel’s apartment, ordering a coffee each before they continued on their way. They didn’t talk much on their way back, both tired as the sleepless night caught up with them.

Once home, Joel was quick to get out of his coat and shoes, the tie coming off afterwards. He went to a small closet, pulling out a blanket and pillow. “Here, use these.” Joel said, shoving the things into Ray’s arms. “I’m going to crash for a few hours, you do whatever you want.” He managed to say before disappearing. It wasn’t a moment later Ray heard light snores, causing him to smile in amusement at how quickly the man had passed out.

Making his own little nest on the couch, Ray curled up as he planned to follow Joel’s lead and catch some sleep. Unfortunately, sadness began to plague his thoughts as events from the previous day played over in his mind. He was on the verge of tears when a small meow pulled him from his thoughts. Looking over the edge of the couch, he smiled softly at the small cat. He pulled the animal up and under the blankets with him, holding it close as it purred gently. It was just enough of a comfort to help Ray drift off to sleep, his last thoughts hopefully optimistic. Maybe things could work out, with Joel helping him.

Days blurred into weeks with Ray living at Joel’s. Joel would work, sometimes taking Ray to his night shifts, while Ray cleaned whenever he was left alone in the apartment. He’d play Xbox with Joel whenever the man had some free time, finding him a challenge to beat at Halo. It was all very domestic, Joel even taking Ray grocery shopping. Unfortunately all good things couldn’t last forever. It was a bandaid solution for Ray, the boy pushing his sadness aside as he lived with Joel. Sometimes if he had tidied the house, and Joel still wasn’t home, Ray found himself with nothing to do but think. It left him sad and quiet, Joel always noticing when Ray was in such a mood.

Finally, Joel had decided to question Ray. He had left the boy alone for the most part when it came to personal details, but one afternoon when Joel was home after being out for the day, Ray was in one of his down moods. He couldn’t just ignore it any longer, and he sat himself beside the boy on the couch. Ray had been staring blankly at his DS, pretending to play.

“What’s on your mind?” Joel asked casually, starting small. Ray looked up from his game, but he made no move to close the lid.

“Nothing.” He replied stiffly, looking back down at the screen.

Joel frowned, shifting a little closer to the teen. “I know you’re lying.” He said, voice low in the otherwise quiet house. “Come on Ray, it’s been weeks. You need to talk about what’s bothering you.” Joel’s face was contorted in a look of concern, flinching as Ray let out a sigh. He closed his DS with a little more force than he had intended, sitting it beside him.

“It doesn’t matter.” He said stubbornly, still refusing to look at Joel. They had grown close in the weeks that had past, but still Ray wasn’t ready. He couldn’t stand the idea of getting kicked out of Joel’s apartment too, losing the last thing he had.

The frown on Joel’s face softened slightly, not letting his frustration get the better of him. “It does. It really does matter, Ray. I care about what’s bothering you.” Joel said, startled by how true his words were. Joel had grown unbelievably close to Ray in their short time together, and he wanted to help Ray, whatever the cause of his hurt.

Ray looked to Joel with wide eyes, wanting so badly to believe what the man said. His eyes watered despite his best efforts to stop it, and he bit his lips to hold back a sob. “I....” he tried to deny the situations, push Joel away, but he couldn’t manage it. The dam broke, and he cried shamelessly. He hadn’t even realised Joel had pulled him in for a tight hug in till he was clutching desperately at the man’s grey hoodie, tears staining the material. Joel whispered words of comfort, but they did little to stop the onslaught of tears.

Soon Ray’s sobs turned to shuddered breathing, slowly calming down. Joel made no move to push him away as he held Ray close, hand stroking the boy’s back soothingly. It was silent for a long moment, Ray feeling like crying all over again at how embarrassed he felt in the man’s arms.

Joel was the one to break the silence, voice barely above a whisper. “You can tell me Ray, I promise it’ll be ok.”

Ray took a deep breath, not pulling away, this time in fear. He didn’t want to see Joel’s face change to one of hate and disgust. “My parents kicked me out because I’m gay.” Ray spat the word with venom, resenting his sexuality, blaming it for all his problems. He could feel fresh tears prickle his eyes, closing them tightly as he waited for Joel’s rejection.

It never came. Instead, Joel pulled him closer, the man resting his head on Ray’s shoulder. “It’s alright, Ray. It’s ok.” Hearing the words sent a rush of relief through Ray, the weight off his chest causing him to let out another slightly muffled sob. He wrapped his arms tightly around Joel’s middle, letting himself be held as Joel continued to whisper reassuring words.

That night Ray and Joel sat up for hours talking, Joel explaining to Ray that he was kicked out for similar reasons, his bisexuality one of the many reasons he left home. Their long talk made Ray much happier around the apartment, even if the pain of his family rejecting him continued to sting. Getting all his worries off his chest, and having Joel to support him, made it a hell of a lot easier.

 Weeks turned into months, and with Joel’s help, Ray got himself a job. It was a full time job at the local GameStop, in walking distance from their apartment. Joel had bought take-out to celebrate, and while they ate, even suggested the idea they move into a bigger apartment, one with two rooms so Ray could move off the couch.

It was all smiles and laughter, that is, in till Joel had mentioned that. A new problem presented itself to Ray, something that had him tossing and turning as he tried desperately to get to sleep that night. He didn’t want to move to a new apartment. He wanted to stay in their current one; he did however want to move off the couch.  He just wanted to move to Joel’s bed.

Ray groaned, moving to cover his face with the pillow, laying belly down. How could he possibly be having thoughts like that, after everything Joel had done for him. It felt like he was somehow betraying Joel’s trust, his frustratingly hard cock rubbing up against the couch doing nothing to ease his guilt. He moaned as he involuntarily rolled his hips, thoughts of Joel clouding his vision. Particularly the image of Joel walking out of the bathroom in just a towel, Ray having caught him by accident a few days prior. Another obscene moan fell from his lips, unintentionally vocal as he continued to grind his hips against the couch.

Joel stirred from his sleep at a noise from his living room, his sleep having been restless to begin with.  He turned over in irritation, blaming the cat sleepily. Only he heard the noise again. Sitting up, Joel glanced at his alarm clock, rolling his eyes at the time. Being woken up at 3AM was not ideal. He tossed the sheets off himself, padding across his room to the door, where he paused. There was that noise again, only this time Joel was awake enough to make out what it was. A blush spread across his cheeks and neck as he realised it was a moan, eyes shooting to his couch where he heard the rustling of sheets. Oh. Joel stepped back, almost tripping over his own feet in his haste to close the door and pretend he hadn’t heard anything. Only he didn’t move, not when he heard a very specific word moaned. “Ah, Joel.” Slowly, Joel stepped forward. Quietly, he opened the door, biting his lip as his mind ran a mile a minute. This was creepy, he told himself. Go to bed, his mind urged. But he kept walking slowly towards the back of the couch, to Ray.

Ray arched his back into couch, mouth agape as he felt himself getting close. He let out a whine, desperate for contact that was more than material. Joel’s name came tumbling off his tongue once again, as he thought about Joel moaning his name back. Only this time it wasn’t his imagination.

“Ray?”

The boy’s eyes widened in horror, his whole body going still. He didn’t dare move, hoping to god Joel hadn’t heard anything.

Joel walked around the couch, hand moving across the piece of furniture as he looked at Ray like he was lost in a trance. Ray turned to Joel, trying to play cool as he tactfully hid his hard on. “Ah, what’s up Joel?”Joel looked from Ray’s face to where he had scrunched up the blankets, Ray blushing under the stare. “Look, it’s um. It’s not how it sounded?” Ray could hear his heart thrumming in his chest, the blood pumping through his veins almost deafening. He had been caught.

From his spot standing at the other end of the couch, Joel crawled over Ray, making the boy pale. “Joel?”

The man made a low hum, confident in his actions although he still wasn’t sure if what he was doing was a good idea.  He had been purposely not acting on his own attraction to Ray, but how could he pass up such an opportunity like the one in front of him. Knowing Ray felt the same sent a rush of heat through him, and he knew if he didn’t act then and there he never would. “I like what I heard.” Joel said, hands on either side of Ray as he loomed over him, mouth inches away from the boy’s. “Would you like to continue?”

Ray opened his mouth to reply, but the words died in his throat as he instead let out a moan, nodding vigorously. Joel grinned, moving to kiss Ray’s lips deeply. Turning his body around completely, Ray’s back now pressed against the cushions, giving him room to arch into Joel. Pulling off of Ray’s lips, Joel peppered kisses down Ray’s neck, the boy letting out a shaky breath. “God, please Joel.” He begged, feeling the man’s hand trail down his abdomen. Joel chuckled, slipping his hand down Ray’s boxers and finally taking hold of Ray’s cock.

He had already been close before Joel turned up, and Ray worried he’d cum motionlessly in Joel’s hand. He bucked his hips, head lulling to the side as Joel continued to bite and kiss. His moans and pleas were downright pornographic as Joel began to stroke Ray, slowly picking up his pace. Joel’s presence alone was enough to push Ray over the edge, the man’s lips still on his neck as he gave a fair enough warning. “Joel, I’m gonna-“he breathed out shakily, breath hitching as he came with a broken groan of Joel’s name.

Joel continued to stroke Ray through his orgasm, smirking at the sound of his name moaned so beautifully. Once done, Joel wiped any mess that had gotten on his hand onto the sheet, figuring he could wash it later. Ray tried to catch his breath, Joel not helping as he captured the boy’s lips in another deep kiss.  “How about you come and sleep in my bed?” Joel offered, eye half-lidded.

“Sounds good.” Ray agreed, acting as if he hadn’t just been jacked off by his kind of sort of roommate.

After cleaning himself up, Ray did indeed sleep in Joel’s bed that night. Although nothing else happened other than cuddling, Joel pulling Ray to his chest in a mess of limbs. It was all surprisingly comfortable, and it was probably the most content Ray had ever been in his life. The next morning, Ray woke to the smell of burnt pancakes and the sound of Joel swearing loudly.

Ray smiled contently, chuckling to himself as he laid back down in Joel’s bed, stretching lazily.

It seemed for once, everything was going to be ok.


End file.
